Wednesday, November 26, 2008

HOST milestones

The Helping Others Street Team was established near the end of December 2007. In April of this year, HOST opened its own Etsy shop. All items in the shop are donated by Etsians and all proceeds go towards helping fellow sellers. The HOST shop recently reached two important milestones: 100 sales and 400 hearts!

More importantly, the money we've raised has allowed us to offer monetary support to Etsy sellers who are struggling to pay their Etsy fees, coping with serious illnesses and facing unexpected expenses. By donating our time, marketing ideas and photoshop skills, we've helped many others make sales and actively promote their shops.

Please consider stopping by the HOST shop so that we may continue to help our fellow Etsians in the coming months. Thank you for all of your support!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Little trinkets

Here are a few more gift ideas from some very talented Etsians who could use your support this holiday season:


Plum Earrings by dkjewels




Adorable Wrislet by Bags by Melanie




Reusable Reindeer Party Napkins by Zzazz

Many talents

The members of the Helping Others Street Team have a wide variety of skills and talents. Our members make everything from adorable children's clothing to soothing herbal teas, from amazing jewelry to knit hats. Here is a small sampling:


Felted Purse with Palomino by Pit Bull Lady Designs


Soy Tarts by Loretta


Handmade Clothing by Yodamoon

All of these items would make great gifts. Please check back tomorrow for more gift ideas!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Busy time of year

With the holidays fast approaching, many members of the HOST team are working overtime to fill up their shops and prepare for the holiday selling season. During this time, it's easy to get overwhelmed, feel stressed and cut back on sleep. Every week, HOST does its best to support sellers, promote shops that are struggling and provide a friendly environment for our team.

If you'd like to visit with us, please stop by the Etsy forums to say hello!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Fun, festive gift ideas - part 10

Today's gift showcase is actually a new Etsy treasury compiled of sellers in need, and curated by littlenovelties.

Click on the image for a larger view, or follow this Etsy link while it remains active:
Featured sellers:

Enjoy these fabulous shops!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Fun, festive gift ideas - part 9

Here it is everyone... enjoy!

http://missmaisyschatter.blogspot.com/2008/11/fun-festive-gift-ideas-part-9.html

These gift showcases will stop at #12, so get shopping everyone!!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Fun, festive gift ideas - part 8

The number '8' is considered to be extremely lucky in Chinese culture; I hope that makes this a lucky showcase for the sellers featured! There are some lovely items here folks - and more in the stores where these all came from, so be sure and investigate all the shop links below...


Click for a larger view.

Featured sellers:

somethingfromnothin
lara514
AWBAR
yummilicious
caldwellcreations
laceandlinks
gratefulgoods
keepsakesbykristi
desera21
westeggstudio
elel
mimiscrafts
lovedogcardcompany
tandmcreations

Have fun and happy shopping, everyone!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Fun, festive gift ideas - part 7

Here it is everyone: gift showcase lucky 7... Get your Christmas lists out and shop till you drop!!

http://missmaisyschatter.blogspot.com/2008/11/fun-festive-gift-ideas-part-7.html

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Fun, festive gift ideas - part 6

Isn't this great? Gift showcase number 6 has arrived and the great shops and Christmas gift ideas just keep on coming! Check this one out and do let us know what you think...


Click for a larger view.

Featured sellers:

...and there will be another showcase on the way very soon folks, so make sure you are following this blog to keep up with the latest finds and ideas!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Fun, festive gift ideas - part 5

Hurrah! Part 5 is up and waiting for your consideration and perusal over at http://missmaisyschatter.blogspot.com/2008/11/fun-festive-gift-ideas-part-5.html

See you there!

And watch for part 6 - to be published right here tomorrow...

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Fun, festive gift ideas - part 4

Here is part 4! We want to hear from any sellers who get sales from these showcases - and if you make a purchase, then we want to hear about it too! Leave us your updates in the comments section after this post.

This time, we have also included a couple of sellers who do a lot to promote and help others on Etsy, both individually and as part of HOST, so we thought we'd give a little shout out for their shops too :)

Click for a larger view.

Featured sellers:

HOST is spreading a little support and friendship this holiday season and hoping to help out those who really need it. If you know of any Etsy sellers who could really use a helping hand, then please go post their shops links in this Etsy forum thread and we will include them in one of our gift showcases: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5901375

Fun, festive gift ideas - part 3

It's up! Check it out on our member's blog at http://missmaisyschatter.blogspot.com/2008/11/fun-festive-gift-ideas-part-3.html

Some really cute items and shops for you to investigate... and part 4 is just around the corner!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Fun, festive gift ideas - part 2

There have been a few threads on Etsy recently for sellers in need to promote their stores and hopefully attract some sales to help them through the holiday season. Following on from that, a HOST member started this thread this morning: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5901375, inviting sellers in need to link their Christmas or gift items.

The resulting post on that member's blog - Fun, festive gift ideas - part 1 - was posted this afternoon: http://missmaisyschatter.blogspot.com/2008/11/fun-festive-gift-ideas-part-1.html and the series of gift guides featuring sellers in need will alternate between here: http://missmaisyschatter.blogspot.com/ and this HOST blog...

Do check out part 1 as there are great items and Etsy stores to discover! And just in case you are struggling for more ideas, here is part 2:-

Click on the image for a larger view.

Featured sellers:

Watch http://missmaisyschatter.blogspot.com/ for part 3, coming soon to a monitor near you :)

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Helping to showcase sellers in need

This new treasury was compiled on behalf of HOST, to showcase sellers in need this Festive Season.... If you are Christmas shopping on Etsy, please do check out these shops! These sellers have a lot to offer and as you will see from the treasury, the items were carefully chosen with prices to suit most budgets.

Follow this Etsy link while it is active:

Featured sellers

Main list:

SkinzNhydez
Lor2507
HolidayPrimitives
strawberrymoonbeam
dkjewels
LostnFoundJoys
lariescreations
fairytalefibers
Donnalda
kidnaroundcreations
magnolyadesigns
debs1967

Reserves:

art2theextreme
TurquoiseTangerine
caseynrbq
LavenderDragonHerbs

Monday, November 3, 2008

Indulge your inner fairy

Many of us are already feeling the cold snap! The heating is on; the thermals are unpacked; the fires are burning... but there is good news!!! Drew from FairyTaleFibers is having a SALE!!! How is that for the best timing ever? Not only can you snap up for own fairy hood, snuggle in and be lovely and toasty while everyone else is freezing their (bleep) off but you can also really take advantage of the discounted prices and snap up a couple more hoods for fairy friends or family sprites to keep them toasty this Christmas!
For the environmentally friendly fairies amongst you, these hoods are totally eco-friendly! They are each handmade using 100% UPCYCLED WOOL - good to the environment, good to your head, and now good to your pocket! Drew has taken $5 off every hood in her shop!! Check out the colours and sizes available here: FairyTaleFibers ... QUICK!!
SALE ON *NOW* UNTIL NOVEMBER 9, 2008
Just one of Drew's fabulous hoods.
Black hood, trimmed in navy blue.
The current SALE promo thread on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5887718

HOST is feeling loved!

HOST is soaking up the love today people!

Not only has one of our HOSTies, Dee, of TheGypsyJewels been singing our praises on her blog - http://allwireduptoo.blogspot.com/ - and in the Etsy forums - http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5889334 - but she has also decided that she will donate 25% of the proceeds from her SALE for HOST to use to help Etsians in need!!

Now do you see why HOST is feeling loved right now?!

Check out Dee's SALE - it applies to both her shops: TheGypsyJewels and AllWiredUpTOO and runs from today, until December 24 2008. You will find lovely beads, jewellery findings and other supplies, as well as jewellery pieces that Dee has designed and created herself.

Good luck Dee - we wish you many sales!!! (No, really, we wish you lots, and lots, and LOTS!!!)

A helping hand from a wonderful Etsian!

HOST members often snoop the Etsy forums for threads about sellers in need. Our Maggie of CrochetMaggie and Loretta of Lor2507 recently alerted the rest of us to two such threads; the thread links are pasted at the end of this post. We were dismayed to read page after page with posts by so many Etsians in distress and financial difficulty. HOST uses 100% of all the proceeds from it's own Etsy sales to help Etsians in need but the team's resources are limited and clearly could not possibly stretch to cover all the issues: medication, rent, utility bills, care for special needs children, and so on...

We posted a plan inviting Etsians to use their business resources (blog, shop announcement, mailing lists, free Project Wonderful advertising) to help others and started posting this on HOST member blogs, and inviting people in these forum threads to join in and spread the word. The objective is to let all of Etsy know the issues because there will be buyers out there who will still have the means to purchase and help ease some of the troubles of others.

Having bumped the threads and the plan through the day, we received a convo from Melanie, of GreenfieldSoaps on Etsy with the most AMAZING wonderful offer! Funds are pretty scarce for Melanie too but she has very kindly offered to convert both side columns on her personal blog - http://everythingetsy.blogspot.com/ - into free advertising for Etsy sellers in need!!!

All you have to do is convo Melanie via her Etsy store, GreenfieldSoaps, with the HTML code for your Etsy mini and she will start posting them in the side columns of her blog as she receives them. The format should be 'thumbnail' size, 2 columns by 2 rows. Go for it people! This is a fabulous offer and it will help with extra exposure for the stores that really need it.

***

We would like to express our sincerest thanks to Melanie for her incredible generosity of spirit!!Please don't forget to also check out Melanie's own Etsy store: GreenfieldSoaps . She would also much appreciate any sales and you will find that she offers a wonderful range of handmade soaps and scented fizzy bath bombs...

Ultimate vanilla handmade soap.
Just scratch the photo on your monitor, and breathe in that fabulous scent... Now seriously people, do you want to EAT this, or WASH with it?!
***
Sellers in need thread #1: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5883516 (the OP has closed this thread as generous Etsians have helped the target be met! You can still read through for interest though).
Sellers in need thread #2: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5886701 (this thread is still live and sellers in need continue to post here...)
This is a follow up thread for Etsians who decide to use their own business resources to help their fellow Etsians through these difficult times: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5887805

Sunday, November 2, 2008

How can you help those in need?

When I logged into Etsy over my cereal bowl this morning, I found that one of my HOST buddies had linked another thread into our HOST chat thread. She said there were lots of sellers in need posting, so I went to check it out figuring ok, I don't really have much spare cash but I can at least bump it for them... (the thread is linked at the end of this post).

Well a couple of sniffs later, I found myself feeling thoroughly depressed by the number of folk in so much financial and personal difficulty; it's awful year round but somehow it seems worse at this time of year, especially if kids are involved... I only just had the thought yesterday: "OMGosh, Christmas is literally around the corner now!"

Then I got to thinking well, I can't buy everything from everyone, and I can bump the thread to try and help get these shops noticed but well, I'd like to try and do more... So here's the plan. It's just a little plan and I can't guarantee it will work but we don't know until we try - and you can get involved with no cost to yourselves other than a little time and effort for people who will really appreciate it.

GET BLOGGING:
  • Most of you readers and Etsians have blogs, so start running a 'help' feature. Even if you just choose one shop, or one item from a few shops and blog it, you might help those guys towards some much needed sales.
  • Start a little 'help' section in your sidebars: add a few Etsy minis for shops that really NEED the exposure!
  • Tell your friends and readers about these guys and link the Etsy thread(s) for them to read and scroll through the different shops. We all have different tastes and wishlists: chances are your pals will find items they won't be able to resist!

ON ETSY:

  • Stalk those treasuries! Not just the main treasury but the treasury west too! Forget just making pretty ones in perfect coordinated colours, or clever choices of unusual things from your favourites: just pick shops who are in need!! If you run out of shops from the forum thread(s) that inspired this, go to POUNCE and pick only stores that are waiting for their first sale!
  • Tell your Street Teams! Get your team-mates on board - get them bumping threads; get them treasury stalking, get them blogging this too!
  • Add even one shop referral to your shop announcements - just pick one seller that is in need so your own buyer traffic will see it.

PROJECT WONDERFUL:

  • Have you got FREE ad spaces? Invite bids from sellers in need.
  • If they don't have ads they can use, can you spend a few minutes turning their avatars into ads for them while they go open their PW accounts and bid?

CHARITY:

  • Do you donate to childrens' charities for Christmas? Well our Etsians in need have kids... give to them!
  • Do you donate to animal charities? These Etsians have beloved pets that need feeding and caring for too! And don't forget, you can choose AWBAR and EFA on Etsy for your donations or purchases!
  • Do you donate to medical charities? These Etsians have serious illnesses - or their children or other family members do - and they are struggling with medical bills. Why not donate to them through purchases from their shops? Remember, there are Etsians who support charities by donating part of their shop sales proceeds... search them out on Etsy and shop, shop, SHOP!!!

We see so many discussion in the forums about how Etsy doesn't advertise itself and how it relies on US to promote it to help ourselves... Well let's pull together now and help promote each other! We are a pretty big team of creative people - I'm sure there will be others out there who will get to thinking what they can do to bring a little festive cheer to those in need. What is that expression about "six degrees of separation"? Well, let's apply it to Etsy for the holidays and see what we can achieve.

My next stop is to post a forum thread on Etsy where you can all post to let everyone know a) what are you doing to help? and b) if you were able to make a purchase from one of these sellers in difficulty, come show us what you bought, so we can all cheer for you and the seller :) And one more thing: when you post in the new thread, let everyone know if you are open to TRADES. People have few resources but they may happen to have just the thing you need, so be open minded about approaching your Christmas shopping this year and consider trades!

Here is the thread that inspired this post: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5886701

And here is my new thread where you can come let us know what you are doing to help: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5887805

Thank you all so much for reading all this and thank you even more for anything you do to help these guys out :)

PS - I am posting the same thing on my other personal blogs: http://teaandjewels.blogspot.com/ and http://maisyh.blogspot.com/

PPS - It doesn't matter that they will read the same, it's the message that is important and it's another opportunity to reach more readers, who can spread the word. Feel free to copy and paste this post into your own blogs - just use it and adapt it for yourselves, I don't mind - just get the message out - now - PLEASE!!!

PPPS - (last one I promise!) Remember that ALL PROCEEDS FROM HOST STORE SALES ARE USED TO HELP ETSIANS IN NEED - so feel free to donate to our store, or top up our team funds by purchasing something because we will use the money for this same cause!

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